Passive humbuckers for high gain: high or low output? Thoughts?

[Patrick from Davis]

I know it is off topic, but I think this is the coolest way I have seen to "mod" you amp to have more gain stages (pedals just don't have the cool factor of tubes, sorry...)

I have a set of Nailbombs as well, and that was what I was going for, sort of, with Kens Pickups. At least for the bridge.  He does some voodoo and makes his sound much more musical, or they have more depth.  Love those things.
Patrick

 

[Heavy Rock]

It only has to do with what someone wants, actually.

Low output pickups have strong pick attack (not fast, it's different) once the note is not compressed and high output ones have a faster attack (not strong) once the note is compressed. So the high output pickups are faster tracking and tighter (results in a rapid thrashy growl) and low output are more percussive and slower tracking but looser (results in a stronger rock growl) once the level of attack is higher than the rest of the note which fades quicker.

So it's all about taste.  :guitarplayer2:

 

[Heavy Rock]

Also it's not that high output pickups can do something that low output cannot. It's just a different approach in tone-creation. They started like that back in the 60s or 70s but amps is not the only thing that changed since then. Heavy music changed too. It got tighter than the Metal of the first days. Some might need the tighter sound of high output pickups for that again and not only to push their amps. It's just musical and technological evolution I think?

High output pickups are just a technology that changed role as amps and music changed through the years. :guitarplayer2:

My opinion.

Anyway nowadays pickup makers can make really cool sounding high output pickups!

 

[elfro89]

This is a huge argument among people. Their is always a push to be louder, more aggressive and heavier in metal, that is why all these changes have taken place in regards to how pick-ups and guitars have been designed. I stopped being interested in metal when the sound and technology changed during the late 80's and things just started to change and I didn't enjoy the sounds of the change/addition.

The only argument that matters is, if you feel that your musical path demands the over-wound high out-put route, regardless of what people say, just do it. Only you know what gives you a stauner - (that and any lady friend in your procession.) My or anyone else's opinion means nothing (those who don't enjoy it anyway), we'll all just proceed in slagging it. If anyone on here loves this kind of shite, they are the ones to best school you in it